Electric switch



May 31, 1932. G. H. ELWELL EIQECTRIC SWITCH Filed Oct. 10, 1927 INVE- TEIH Patented May 31, 1932 rare earm oFFicE enonen HENRY EL ELL, or NEW VEN, coNNnc'rIcUr, ASSIGNOR 'ro THE GREIST MA UFACTURING coivrraNv, or ew IIrnvR-N, coNNnorrcunn CORPORATION or CoNNECrICUr nLR'C'r -IC swIrCn Applicationfiled October 10, 1927, Serial No. 225,194.

The invention relates to improvements in electric switches and especially to that typev of reciprocating switches operatively thrown by means of push elements. The applicant is aware that the art-discloses a swingingor oscillating contact making-lever having a' sliding pivotal mounting upon a sprlng resting upon a fixedsupporting base and have ing a bearing at, its opposite end adapted to ride uponthe peaked" cam of a reciprocating operating member, the oscillating switch lever being maintained in engagement with the peaked cam by the spring which supplies sutficienttension to cause thelever to snap over the peak of the cam as the reciprocating member is operated in opposite i directions. The improvement set forth by the applicant in this invention however, discloses novelty in the construction of-a reciprocatingjoperating member provided with a peaked cam, but bodily carrying a spring element pivoted thereto and adapted to ride up one incline of the cam until the peakis reached and thereupon to snap quicklyover and down the opposite incline so that a'snapping movement of the contact spring element is thus secured inboth directions. :Not only does the applicant disclose a novel construction in that the reciprocating member carries the swing memberbut, in the preferred form illustrated by his drawings, his construction reduces the number of elements employed therein to an expanding-under-tension swinging element, a reciprocating element, and a peaked cam, which three elements are made to produce a similar result as previously attained in the development of the art by four distinct elements. The objects, therefore, of this invention are to provide an electric switch of simple and economical construction; to provide an electric switch, all parts of which'are mounted in a single transverse cavity presenting abutments to the swinging element; and to provide an electric switch involving such other features of the invention as may herein appear.

The following is the description of an embodiment of the invention, the construction of which within the scope of what hereinafter is claimed may be varied without departing from the spirit or modifying any of the advantages of the invention; Reference being had to the accompanying drawings (one sheet) the Figure l is an upright elevation of an electric lamp socket without a casing but provided with the improved switch, the push button being removed; F igurefZ is an upright elevation of the lamp socket in a different rotary position and illustrating the interior of the transverse cavity containing the switch element; and Figure 8 is a plan view, taken at the line A-A of Figure 2, of the transverse cavity containing the switch element.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings in which similar parts are similarly numbered the electric switch, while adapted for association with any electrical device with which a switch is desired, is illustrated for vided intermediate its length with the peaked cam 6 and with extremities 7 towhich the push elements 8 may be attached as best illustrated by Figure 2. Mounted upon and carried by the, peaked portion of the reciprocatingmember 5 is the swinging expansibleagainst-tension spring device 9 adapted for a forced ascension under increased tension up either incline of the peaked cam 6 and for an automatic instantaneous descent down the Figure 2) as having a shifting pivotal mounting with n the notch 10, the wire ends being bent around the edge of the metal as illustrated by Figure 2. The wire of the spring device 9 extends from this notch as arms along-both side surfaces of the metal of the peaked portion of, the member 5 to the nearest part of the cam surface of the peaked cam 6 where each is made to assume the form of coils 11, the convolutions of which extend laterally in opposite directions, the portion 12 of the wire connecting the coils lyin across the cam surface of the cam 6. If in t 1e making of the spring device 9 it is deemed expedicut to employ such a light weightof wire that the portion 12 islikely to bend at the place of crossing instead of tensioning the coils, a

tubular metal covering may be employed to reinforce the wire at this place and to serve as a roller bearing (not illustrated) of the spring device 9 riding upon the peaked cam 6. From the foregoing description it will be evident that, as either of the push elements 8 are pushed inwardly, the spring device 9, lying upon a low portion of the opposite incline of the peaked cam 6 and against a pair of abutments, will continue to be arrested by the abutments as the reciprocating member moves between them and forces its inclined cam surface along under the bearing 12 with the result that the bearing 12 is thereby lifted against the winding tension of the coils 11 until the peak of the cam is pushed passed the bearing 12 when, under the sudden unwinding release of the tension of the spring coils 11, the spring device is swingingly precipitated down the incline of the peakedcam 6 to the abutments adjacent the pushed extremity of the reciprocating member 5, the pivotal end of the spring device 9 shifting within the notch to permit the spring device to assume a position reaching over the shortest distance. Positioned against the abutmcnts 3 are contacts 13 and 14; which when electrically connected by means of the spring device 9 close the electical circuit of the electric lamp socket.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. An electric switch comprising a supporting base of insulation having a transverse cavity interrupted by spaced pairs of abutments, one pair of abutments being provided with spaced contacts; a reciprocating operating member movable within the cavity and between each pair of abutinents, said member having a peaked cam; and a wire spring having a coil having at one end an arm pivotally mounted beneath said peaked cam, the coil having at its other end an arm engageable with said cam for travel thereon to said peak only by tensioning said coil in a winding direction and for a precipitation therefrom and against said contacts to close an electrical circuit upon passing said peak and consequence release of said tension.

2. An electric switch comprising a supporting base of insulation having a. transverse cavity interrupted by spaced pairs of abutments, one pair of abutments being provided with spaced contacts within an electrical circuit; a reciprocating operating member movable within the cavity and between each pair of abutments, said member having a peaked cam; and a wire spring having divided coils, each coil having an integral arm portion pivotally mounted beneath said peaked cam, the coils being integrally connected b a middle wire portion enga cable with sai cam for travel thereon to sai peak only by tensioning said coils in a windin direction and for precipitation therefrom an against said contacts to close the electrical circuit upon the passing of said middle wire portion by said peak and consequent release of said tension.

3. An electric switch comprising a supporting base of insulation having a transverse cavity interrupted, by spaced pairs of abutments, one pair of abutments being provided with spaced contacts within an electrical circuit; a reciprocating operating member movable within the cavity and between each pair of abutments, said member having a peaked cam; and a wire spring having a coil having at one end an, arm pivotally mounted upon the reciprocating operating member beneath said cam, the coil having at its other end an arm engageable with said cam for travel thereon to said peak only by tensioning said coil in a winding direction and for a precipitation therefrom and against said contacts to close the electrical circuit upon passing said peak and consequent release of said tension.

4. An electric switch comprising a supporting base of insulation having a transverse cavity interrupted by spaced airs of abutments, one pair of abutments being provided with spaced contacts within an electrical circuit; a reciprocating operating member movable within the cavity and betweeneach pair of abutments, said member having a peaked cam; and a wire springhaving divided coils, each coil having an integral arm portion pivotally mounted upon the reciprocating operating member beneath said peaked cam, the coils being integrally connected by a middle portion of the spring wire and engageable with said cam 'for travel thereon to said peak only by tensioning said coils in a winding direction and for precipitation therefrom and against said contacts to close the electrical circuit upon passing said peak and consequent release of said tension.

GEORGE HENRY ELWELL. 

